


The Recollections Of A Biased Ghost

by The_Clockwork_King



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Abuse, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-05
Updated: 2014-09-23
Packaged: 2018-02-11 22:39:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2085831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Clockwork_King/pseuds/The_Clockwork_King
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A long humanstuck story told by twenty one living narrators and a ghost. Trolls are mutated humans, and rampant racism and the like ensues. Lusii exist. Involves the main twelve trolls, Rufioh and an OC troll.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Aradia: Tell The New Gh0st A St0ry

Aradia: Tell the new gh0st a st0ry.

Imagine this scene: A stifling courtroom, stifling with both injustice and heat, in the year 2039. Twenty five years ago, a mutation introduced itself to the human gene. I do not know the scientific name for it, but it created what are referred to as trolls. I understand you come from a time before all this, so I will attempt to explain what it did to those it affected.

Humans with this genetic mutation are born drastically different from others. They are born with different bodies, different _parts_. As time goes on, they lose pigmentation in thier skin, and it turns an ashy grey. Well, I'm sure you can see it if you look at me hard- I may be translucent, but surely you can see that I am very different from you. Yes, yes I was getting to the horns. No, not all trolls have ram horns. Every troll has a different set, and a different symbol to identify them. Anyway, as time went on, trolls grew fangs instead of teeth, claws instead of fingernails. The blood changed from red to...well any color really. There are quite a few- browns, reds, yellows, greens, blues, purples, most colors you can imagine.

Oh, we were treated dreadfully at first-rampant racism until around five years ago, but by that time I was well and dead and there was no question of coming back. I don't really mind. Anyway, back to the courtroom.

There are trolls on one side, a few humans standing by them, faces grim. The other side is composed of humans, faces set to digusted sneers. They have finished their accounts, riddled with lies here and there. They want these trolls dead, and will stop at very little barring stronger laws.

The judge, the honorable Andrew Hussie, speaks to the troll side.

"Today we meet to decide the fate of these fourteen young trolls. There are many charges laid against them, but even those not being charged have asked to share the judgement, and it has been agreed that several laws are in your favor. Trolls, there are several charges of murder, assault, harasssment and vandalism leveled at you. You and the humans that stand at your side will be arguing your case. As law dictates, the humans speak first."

Rose Lalonde takes the podium first, but perhaps now is the time to leave the courtroom and go back to the start, before all of these incidents you have heard mentioned, so that one may be given a clearer picture without all of the legal jargon and such. I will give you a factual account of the events of the last two years so that one may understand this case properly.

Do not worry. We will come back to this courtroom and hear the arguments of both sides, when we have all the facts and perhaps we can decide together what is to be done about these trolls and these humans. We are but spirits, but even spirits have power. It is almost time, but perhaps I should continue tomorrow, when you are not so new to undeath.

Next Chapter: Tavros: rEMEMBER YOUR, FIRST DAY, AT YOUR, NEW, SCHOOL,

* * *

 

Hnello friendses!!! I've been working on (read: sitting on) this for a while, and I'm actually kind of proud that it didn't turn out EXTRA special shitty.


	2. tAVROS: wRITE ABOUT, YOUR FIRST DAY, AT YOUR NEW SCHOOL

**Aradia: Begin**

A wheelchair sped through the halls of Alternia High, carrying a rather odd looking child along for the ride. Perhaps child is not the right word, though- he was sixteen, after all. The sixteen year old not-child had grey skin, big brown eyes, and enormous bright yellow and orange horns. This child's name is Tavros. He was once my best friend.

Let's not listen to me blather on about him, shall we? Let's listen to him blather on about himself. He doesn't get the chance to do that often.

**Aradia: Absc0nd**

**Tavros: wRITE ABOUT, YOUR FIRST DAY, AT YOUR NEW SCHOOL**

Dear, Maybe Diary,

I'm, not used to talking about myself. I know that I'm going to have to start getting used to it, so I started this...whatever this is. Um, I'm not very good at, talking to people, or anything like that, but I think its easier to write down things that happen to me instead of talking to Rufioh about it. I think, I'm more confident when I'm not looking at someone's face and avoiding their eyes.

Umm, okay. I started going to a new school today because dad said that Derse wasn't handling the bullying right. He got me to transfer to his school so he and Rufioh could watch over me. I guess I don't really mind, um, because I really didn't like my old school. The people there were mean because I couldn't walk, and, for other things. Because I'm a troll. And maybe because i'm gay? I don't know if that's, the right word to use, or...

Anyway, I think I like it. There are a lot more trolls in this school than there were in Prospit or Derse, so people don't really stare at me as much as they did before. I met a really tall troll named Gamzee, and a really angry short troll named Karkat. Gamzee is obsessed with clowns and is a guitarist for a band called The Rainbowblood Mutants. Karkat is in it too, and i guess they're actually pretty good, but dad doesn't like me hanging around with Gamzee. He thinks Gamzee is doing drugs or something, because he wears clown makeup and he came to gym smelling a little bit like pot. I mean, to be honest, I did too. Our entire apartment complex smells like it. I wonder where Gamzee lives...

Gamzee's really nice-when my wheelchair broke down at lunch, he took me to see another troll (Equius?) who I think is Gamzee's boyfriend, and Equius had it fixed by third period. He's kind of creepy, though. And he sweats a lot. And he's kind of mean, because I have brown blood and he doesn't like that.

Gamzee is actually pretty strong. I mean, he carried me around all lunch and he didn't even seem to get tired. I like his horns too....

**Aradia: Butt in**

I know how much you must love hearing from Tavros (and no, that wasn't sarcasm), but he doesn't have all the information. Let me finish with a summary of Tavros' day.

First period-Gym. Taught by Tavros' father.

Tavros made it to the gym without incedent, looking forward to having a full class of sitting on the bleachers and doodling with Tinkerbull, who is his Lusus. Tavros has a strange little Lusus- it is the size of a large beetle, a very large beetle indeed, one around the size of a palm. It is a miniature bull with tiny fairy wings, and he calls it Tinkerbull because, well, he has always loved Peter Pan.

He sat there drawing for about half the period before Gamzee, who he mentioned in his little ramblings, staggered in. Now let me tell you something- Gamzee is not a drug addict. He is heavily medicated for various reasons that will make themselves apparent later. He is not allowed to participate in physical activity because of the strength of his medication, and he often gets lost or distracted on his way to places he's been before. Tavros' father has not been allowed this information.

When Gamzee staggered in, Tavros' father went over to deal with him. This was their conversation.

"Gamzee Makara. Late as usual, I see. Some things never change. Late slip?"

"Uhh, maaaaybee? Give me a second, bro, I think I got one round here somewhere...."

Gamzee proceeded to rifle through the pockets on his leather jacket, expelling several crumpled late slips for other days, a couple of joker cards, and a small jack in the box before pulling out a severely crumpled late slip with the right date on it.

"Uhh, is this it?"

Tavros' father ground his teeth. He always hoped to catch Gamzee without one, if only so he could delay having to deal with him.

"Yes Makara, that is it."

"Awesome!" He turned and caught sight of Tavros, fighting his horns for balance and then eventually giving up and putting his head down, and turned back to Tavros' father with a look of awe.

"Yo, who's the cutie with the oversized horns?"

Tavros' father clenched his fists.

"That is my son, and it would do very well for you to be respectful of that fact."

"Ooohh, sorry sir. But, like, what's his name?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter. Just ask him, you'll forget by the time you get over there. Don't corrupt him or get him involved with drugs or whatever it is you do in your spare time."

"What? Nah, mother- uh, sir, I don't do that kinda stuff."

Gamzee staggered in the direction of Tavros, and they spent the entire period talking.

Second period: Not much important happened, but it must be noted that Rufioh came to talk to Tavros and met Gamzee, giving him a joking version of the same warning Tavros' father had. Gamzee and Tavros parted ways. They only had this class seperate.

Lunch, Tavros met Karkat, and was terrified of him at first, but he realized that underneath the hissing, screeching ball of hate exterior, Karkat was just a hopeless romantic. And then his wheelchair broke down.

Gamzee carried Tavros to the mechanics lab where Equius hid most of the time, explained the problem, and dragged his friend (not his boyfriend) down to the wheelchair. The rest of lunch was filled with the sounds of Equius' tinkering, and just as the bell rang, Equius sat up with a satisfied nod.

"It should work as intended now." he eyed Tavros' legs and 'hmm'ed before standing up and leaving. He continued to be creepy and sweaty for the rest of the day.

Third and fourth period, English and Life Drawing respectively, little happened. In English, Tavros learned about The Mirthful Messiah from Gamzee, and in Life Drawing, Tavros worked up the courage to show Gamzee some of his work and introduce Gamzee to Tinkerbull (who spent the rest of the period in a nest in Gamzee's hair, snorting contentedly).

Gamzee felt honored, and promised to bring his art tomorrow to show Tavros, and to introduce him to Goatdad one day.

For the first time in so long, he remembered to bring his artwork the next day.

This was the first of many remembered promises made to Tavros.

**Aradia: Save the rest f0r an0ther day**

Well, I suppose you're tired of all this, so I will leave you alone for today. I may find you again tomorrow, or the day later. You're a good listener, and I think I will find that I have quite a bit to say. I may let someone else have a chapter, hmm? Someone you do not know, perhaps?

Do not worry, you will meet everyone in time, and perhaps one day I can introduce you to everyone. They would be delighted to meet you.

* * *

 

Next: 2ollux: Be tech 2upport for a 2a22y hiip2ter 2ea-dweller.

55o, thought55? 55hould I continue with thi55, etc. etc.?


	3. 2ollux: Get yelled at by an angry mob2ter.

**Aradia: Begin.**

Sollux was not available to begin his own introduction, so I will start us off. He may interrupt me later on.

A young troll sat next to one of many laptops he had running in a high school computer lab, grinding his fangs in frustration, and talking aloud to a rubber duck. Now this may sound like a strange thing for a young troll to do, but he has informed me many times that programmers often do this when stumped.

His name is Sollux Captor, and he is not just a programmer, he is a hacker. He has two pairs of bright orange horns, one short one medium, one red eye and one blue eye. Back to the duck.

Sollux explained his code to the duck, line by line, execution by execution, while his teacher escorted a new student warily over to his workstation, knowing his temper when it came to his programming work.

When he spoke the troubled line of code, he stopped mid-sentence and uttered a guttural snarl before flinging the duck behind him. The new kid caught the duck, and raised an eyebrow at it. Sollux didn't notice, just fixed his code and pulled another duck out from under his desk, grumbling " **God fucking damnit** , that wath thuch a thimple fix!" under his breath.

When the new kid, another troll by the name of Eridan Ampora, spoke, Sollux fell out of his chair. His first sight of Eridan was a wonderful view of his chin from the floor. Eridan looked down, and he caught the unimpressed, haughty stare, a flash of swept back horns and a little glimpse of fins. He was still holding the duck.

"Wwhat the hell did the duck ewer do to you?"

"Umm...well, nothing, I wath jutht having thome trouble with a program...umm, thorry, who are you?" Sollux asked, picking himself off the ground and dusting himself off. He noticed the troll's speech impediment, and suppressed a smile. At least this asshole wouldn't make fun of his lisp.

"Eridan Ampora. You're the programmer?"

"I'm not the only one, but.....why, do you need help with thomething?"

"Uh, yeah." Eridan handed back the duck, and Sollux took it with what passed for a blush with trolls (a slight darkening in the grey skin), realizing Eridan might have heard him talking to it.

"My father wwants to pay some hackers to expose holes in his company's security. He doesn't wwant anyone too big, so he asked me to see if there wwere any good programmers in any of my classes. Eweryone around here seems to think you're the best."

"Well, apparently I’m the betht then. I'd be happy to take the job if you're actually offering it to me."

"Wwell, since you seem to be the only person in this place wwho can wwrite a decent line of code, you'll hawe to do."

"Thankth, I feel tho wanted." Sollux cringed, realizing that he probably shouldn't be sassing his future employer's son. Fortunately, the kid just snorted, turned with a toss of his head (and scarf) and said "You're not." before sauntering off with an air of lazy arrogance.

Sollux rolled his eyes, muttered " **What an ath-hole**." under his breath and went back to hacking into the school's servers.

**2ollux: iinterrupt the gho2t giirl.**

Well, I guess I can take it from here?

**Aradia: Absc0nd.**

**2ollux: Contiinue.**

Alright, so I guess that day was the beginning of us all meeting, which leads to all the incidents and charges and shit, but this is going to drag on for fucking ever if Aradia is really going to have us all introduce ourselves like this, and I get the feeling that she is, so you’re in for a really shitty ride.

Anyway, meeting Eridan and getting that job was actually not the only important thing that happened that day, although it is my favorite of the two, because the second involves meeting Karkat's dad, and that is one scary-ass dude right there.

 His name is Spades Slick, and I’m pretty sure he runs a gang called the Midnight Crew. Yeah. That one.

 Anyway, it turns out that Karkat hadn't texted him the night before telling him he was going to stay at my house, and Slick was furious. Now, apparently their arguments are legendary, because Karkat is a screechy angry teenager and Slick has a monster of a temper, and I can personally attest to both.

“Karkat fucking Vantas! Why the bloody fucking hell did I not get a text from you last night? Do you fucking know how god-damned worried I've been?"

"What? I fucking texted you! I told you I was going to Sollux's house, remember?"

I cringed. "Hey, ath-hole, don't bring me into thith!"

"Didn't I fucking tell you that if I don't fucking respond you're  **both to text me?** " Slick asked, turning to me and giving me a look that I'm sure has made grown men piss themselves.

 I'll just say this now; I'm not very intelligent. I have done  **so many** stupid things. So many, and I am not proud to say that what I did next doesn't even come close to my top ten. It was still really fucking stupid, though.

"Jeeth, thorry. I didn't realith that you were Karkat'th mother too."

There was silence and then Slick started shouting. I gave as good as I got, though.

**Aradia: Interrupt.**

No he didn't. He started shaking in his ironic 3D glasses and begging for forgiveness.

**2ollux: Contiinue.**

That is a fucking lie and you know it. Anyway, eventually we stopped shouting, and Slick just sort of nodded and left. _That_ was when I started shaking in my ironic glasses because holy fuck. I'd just survived an argument with the most dangerous person I know.

Those are the only important things that happened that day, tw- sorry _to_ be honest.

**Aradia: Finish.**

That is quite true. Thank you for listening to us babble. Perhaps we will follow another new player in this game of life next time, hmm? What do _you_ think?

* * *

 Next: **Equius: D- > Have an idea and meet someone who makes you very uneasy.**

Haha computers are shit amiright? So, here is the new chapter, which is kinda shittier than the rest but eh whatever. I will be continuing with this, as I actually know what I'm doing with this specific peice of shit.

Please leave me a comment, they make me write faster.


	4. D-> Equius: Meet Someone Creepier Than Yourself And Bring An Idea To A Chainsaw Wielding Fashionista

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so my OC is one of three trolls that I made for a Sburb session I was writing for me and my friends, but I gave it up after two chapters, but I wanted to use them, soooo....here one is. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of this one...

**Aradia: Greet the 0ther gh0sts.**

Hello. I see you've brought a friend along today. That is fine.

Equius will not be here today, as he is helping Rufioh with something, so you get to hear me today.

A rather large teenager sits in the corner of a mechanics lab, tinkering with a robotic foot and watching a peasant, at least in his mind, admire an old automaton of his. This teenager's name is Equius Zahhak, and he is ridiculously strong, so at this point in time he is working slowly so as not to crush the foot he holds.

He has two bright orange horns that are meant to resemble arrowheads, but because of his strength, he broke the arrow off of one. He wears transition lenses as well, but no matter how often he gets new ones, the left lens is always cracked. His brother has stopped buying him new ones for this reason. His symbol is Sagittarius, one of the Zodiac symbols.

Now onto the peasant. She has maroon blood and eyes, and a gaping scarlet mouth. Her mouth is always gaping because her fangs are enormous, long, sometimes thick, sometimes needle-thin, but always inordinately large. She has what is often referred to as "a clusterfuck" of horns, which means three horns of varying lengths in a cluster on her head. Her hair is long, and it, her fangs, and her claws are filthy. Her symbol is the Roman numeral for three.

Her name is Damaka Draugr, and she has a personality to match her face.

Equius watched her, noting rust-colored specs on her fangs. She rasped out words that were accentuated by clicks from her fangs, occasionally pointing to different points of interest on the machine. The human beside her nodded like he understood. He didn't.

Eventually, she approached the teacher, and then, to Equius' dread, approached him, somehow managing to grin with her impressive teeth. 

"You made that automaton, didn't you?"

Equius flinched at her high voice.

"Indeed I did."

Her smile widened, showing more rows of teeth than really necessary for any creature. "Would you consider selling it? It really is a good piece of work."

He sighed. "That is one of my worst pieces, but I would not mind."

She made a face of disgust. "Hm, I'll take it anyway. I can rewire it to make it do...well, you don't need to know. How much?"

They discussed prices and such, and then she took it out to the parking lot and didn't come back. 

The second and third periods were fairly unremarkable, although he did find Sollux at lunch and warn him about Dameka, who had mentioned taking programming.

In fourth period, Equius met with another troll, one with jade blood. This troll's name is Kanaya Maryam, with the symbol for Virgo as her own. She has two horns, one simply curved and another ending in a hook. She has sharp teeth, like every other troll, and has two protruding fangs, as though in the fashion of a vampire. She speaks with a faint English accent, although she claims to have never been to England. 

Kanaya is quite fashion-minded, and enjoys gardening, landscaping and interior decorating. Due to this, she is the proud owner of a chainsaw. This is actually a large part of why Equius decided to bring his idea to her. He may need her to help him.

Er, Kanaya has just informed me via Trollian message that Equius wants to explain his plan to you so as not to be thought mad. That is fine. 

Well, I suppose I will leave you with the rest of the day, as I am still waiting for the others to tell me it's okay to tell you all the things they've done in the past two years. 

**Aradia: St0p talking.**

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was getting to the point where I start rereading a new fic and realize just how bad it really is, I was starting to think I should either give this up or revise the last chapters and probably redo the entire thing. Instead, I checked the comments and realized, people actually like this thing, and I guess it doesn't really matter whether or not I do. This is for you, not for me, so here is the new chapter.


	5. D-> Equius: Explain an idea/Kanaya: Meet A Girl Who Defies All Expectations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEHEHE

**D- > Equius: Speak.**

My name is Equius Zahhak. Aradia has informed you that I had an idea you would think me mad for having. This idea was simple, and has come to fruition. You have noticed, I'm certain, that Tavros no longer has a wheelchair? That was a joint effort of...well, you will learn.

Yes, my idea was very simple- I wanted Gamzee's help for something or other,  and so I planned to build a replacement set of legs for Tavros. Kanaya and I would then replace his real legs with the new ones, preferably without his knowledge, so that he would wake up to a pleasant surprise. Gamzee was already smitten with Tavros when I met him, and I thought replacing Tavros' legs would curry favor with him.

**Kanaya: Politely Interrupt.**

My apologies. Aradia would like me to speak now.

**D- > Equius: Abscond.**

To be quite honest, I was hesitant to even encourge Equius' plan. He was asking me to cut someone's legs off on his promise that he could make perfect replacements! Honestly, there was so much room for error that I discouraged it immidiately, although I did eventually end up helping with the operation.

Aradia wants me to introduce a new human to the scene now-she says she's been focusing altogether too much on trolls, and I will admit that I'm the troll that understands this human most. Her name is Rose Lalonde, and she's the kind of girl that could take one look at you and pick you to peices if she was so inclined.

Perhaps a physical description is in order; Rose has platinum white-blonde hair, pale white skin and bright purple-pink eyes. She favors graphic t-shirts depicting creatures with an abundance of tentacles. Her eyes seem to peirce the soul of her chosen prey. She could take one look at you and tell you your whole life story over.

She often wears a large pink knitted scarf. This scarf generally hides her weapons of choice should she need to defend herself; knitting needles. No-don't laugh. I have seen that girl do some seriously concerning things with those needles to protect friends. More on that later.

Rose and I met one cloudy day in our English class, a week after school started. She swept in five minutes late, eyes sweeping the room, smirking (as she generally is). Her eyes settled on me and Equius before focusing on a perky sea-dwelling troll across the room, who was drawing cuttlefish on her paper. She nodded, as if satisfied, and went to talk to the teacher.

They talked for ten minutes before Rose walked away from the teacher, who was pale and shaking, and sat down beside me, grinning in a way that rather reminded me of a snake whose food has just been dropped into its aqarium. After a few minutes, she spoke.

"I have recently been informed, via the trollphobic little woman at the front of the room that you and I have semi-smilar tastes in literature, namely classics in the horror and mystery genres, such as Dracula and the Sherlock Holmes books." I looked around, wondering who she was talking to, as she wasn't looking at anyone. I stayed silent until she looked directly at me and said, "Well? Have I been misinformed?"

"Oh, no, that is quite right, I just...er, I didn't realize you were talking to me. You didn't look, you see."

"Hm. My apologies, I will be certain to make it more obvious in future. To this end, may i ask your name?"

"I suppose you may. I am Kanaya Maryam. Who are you?"

"My mother had the nerve to name me Rose, with Lalonde of all things as a surname."

"I think that to be a lovely name." I replied, confused.

"Most would, and I do not think badly of you for thinking that way. Unfortunately, knowing mother's intentions, it has taken away any illusion of elegance to the name." I frowned, wanting desperately to ask, but I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want her to think I was stupid.

She turned the topic instead onto classic literature, and a much more comfortable conversation ensued.

At the end of the period, we stood together and shook hands. As we shook, I felt something irregular being slipped into my palm. She walked away, and I glanced down at the piece of paper she had slipped me. It read: **My Pesterchum handle is tentacleTherapist. If you have Trollian, let's talk sometime.** I smiled and glanced over at her. She had stopped and was reading the message I had given her.

It read: **My Trollian handle is grimAuxilllatrix. If you have Pesterchum, well, I'm usually online. Er, thank you.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually really liked writing this chapter, because Kanaya and Rose are my two favorite characters. And yep, that was a vague reference to Feferi drawing cuttlefish.


	6. gAmZeE: tElL a BuNcHa MoThErFuCkInG gHoStS a CoUpLa HaRsH tRuThS

**gAmZeE: iNdRoDuCe YoUrSeLf To A bUnCh'A mOtHeRfUcKiNg GhOsTs.**

Whoa, there's a whole fuckin lotta you today, ain't there? Yeah bros and... I dunno brosettes? I'm Gamzee MOTHERFUCKIN Makara. I'm the one that talks 'bout miracles for hours and shit like that. ANYWAY, I aint here to talk to y'all 'bout myself. I'm here to tell y'all a story or some noise?

YEAH, thassit! So, Aradia wanted me to...uh...............aw shit. I forgot. OH! OH! Karkat!! She wanted me to tell y'all how we met and why we're still friends an all that shit.

Well, I guess I've known Karkat since we were wrigglers- sorry, that's what humans call baby trolls- but I  _met_ him when we were in a special troll school when we were 'round ten, maybe eleven? They tried to put us all in a couple scools an give us all shit "education", which really mean tat they got to keep us all contained and these assholes got to beat the shit out of us. They treated us real bad, 'specially Karkat, 'cause he was so small and he didn't even have big horns to help him keep 'em off him. I always had real big horns so I ended up as the only person who really stood up for Karkat, and made them stop hurtin him. Everyone else was too scared, I guess. I'm kinda a bit of an emotional wreck, though, for all that I've got big horns an shit, I guess.

Now, Karkat was always this little quiet kid that barely talked. One day, he found some of the handlers with me in the hall, and they weren't bein very nice, an I was crying my eyes out, and in stomps lil Karkat, shoutin his tiny little head of and threatening to gut the handlers if they didn't leave me alone. 

Now, the one good thing 'bout these handlers was that if you could scare 'em good enough, they'd run off and leave you alone, and I guess hearing this lil kid that's never even talked before shouting like a trucker with road rage did it for 'em.

I mean, he probably saved my life right then and there, and he's been Karkat, like, angry and yelly ever since, and he and I just sort of accepted that we were bros. When they let us all out, I was thirteen, and Karkat was twelve, and when he told his dad that I'd taken care of him, they decided to take me in, 'cause my bro never came back for me.

To be honest, I aint even sure if he's still alive. He was a troll too, y'know, an I think maybe he died in the culling that happened in '34. I dunno.

Huh? Y'all haven't heard of the culling? Well shit, I gotta tell you 'bout that then.

In 2034, troll rights activists were all pissed off at the government for segregating us from everyone else in schools. There were a bunch of protests because of it. The government and anti-troll radicals were all fucking up in arms because of it, an that started a buncha shit, cuz y'all know what happens when humans start getting racist, they start gettin violent.

A buncha radicals started a website, Rainbowblood Mutants, which was all about how we were ungodly and monsters. It was talkin all about a cullin of trolls, and it encouraged people to kill trolls for no reason. Just about everywhere, at least one person read it an took that advice to heart. The worst of these cullins was here in Chicago. A couple hundred people got together an attacked the ghettos, where most of the trolls lived. They were completely empty the next day, an a lot've 'em had been burned down or looted.

A lotta trolls died that day, an I aint exactly sure whether Kurloz- uh, thats my bro- an I lived in the ghettos before, an I dunno if he moved or became homeless durin the time I was away. I've been lookin everywhere for my bro, but, there aint anythin bout a troll named Kurloz anywhere.

I-I'm sorry. I gotta go. I'm gettin all emotional.

**gAmZeE: lEaVe BeFoRe YoU gEt ToO mOtHeRfUcKiN emoTiOnAl.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUGH I'm so sorry for the wait time! Originally I started this in John's POV and it just wasn't right, so I had to start over :// I hope you like it anyway....


	7. Aradia: Intr0duce an entire family

**Aradia: Talk t0 the dead.**

Hello, friends. My my, there are quite a lot of you today! I suppose death does get dull, hm? I have a new human to introduce. Jack Noir, living now by his alias Spades Slick, father to Karkat and Kankri, as well as adoptive father to Gamzee and would-be adoptive father to Sollux, is central to the story I tell.

He grew up in Italy, far enough away from our story that it hardly matters, although he was introduced to his "family business" there at a young age.

A quick aside: Jack Noir is not his real name. I do know it, though I have promised never to tell.

Slick has made a fortune by running his own businesses (being somewhat or a genius in the way of marketing and business) and doing a tidy side business in running the mob in Chicago. He began as the leader of a smalll but determined group of criminals who never used each other's names (although they know each other's names, it is considered a great offence to use them). This gang gathers every Saturday afternoon for poker, where I begin today's story. 

Sitting around the round table in Karkat's basement, the room lousy with cigar smoke, are the most dangerous men in all of Chicago. This group, consisting of Spades Slick, an old friend from university (renamed as Clubs Deuce), Slick's brother  (Diamonds Droog), and a defector from another gang, called the Felt (referred to only as Hearts Boxcars), has been together for twenty years, and have raised four boys together over those years. Every single Saturday for twenty years, these men have met and discussed their kids, Spade's new wife (he always has a new one), and their mob. This does not mean that they are bad people, in my opinion. Slick adopted a child simply because the child had nowhere else to go. (Whatever Slick may say about owing the kid something for saving his son, it was only because he never could say no to a crying child).

The Saturday this story begins on is a noisy and full one, with the gang and Sollux visiting on the same day.

Sollux suffers almost daily abuse (emotional and physical) at the hands of his brother, Mituna. Mituna is mentally ill, though I do not know what ails him, but he spends half of his time hurting Sollux, and the rest of it sitting dead-eyed and silent in their living room. For this reason, Sollux spends most of his time at Karkat's house until he knows he has to go back and keep Mituna alive when Mituna stops letting the people Slick sends feed him.

Slick would love to make all of Sollux's problems go away-adopt the young troll and his brother, and have Mituna sent off to a special hospital. Unfortunately, the law may not have any qualms about a possible criminal taking in a little homeless troll, but there was no way Slick was getting away with adopting the brother of the owner of Psyoniic Electronics, his biggest rival company. After all, they didn't know anything about Sollux's situation, or the fact that he had been running the company in Mituna's name for three years. Sollux refused to go to the police or anyone else, being concerned that Mituna may be arrested and accused for abusing him.

Karkat knows all of this, but he has given up trying to get Sollux to talk to the police. Instead, he takes Sollux in and has meaningless conversations with him, such as this one.

Sollux is lying on the floor in Karkat's living room, Gamzee curled up on the couch, Karkat sitting beside him, and Sollux is talking, a steady stream of nonsense about this new video game or that teacher, anything to make him not think about why he's there. Karkat is silent for once, and then Sollux starts talking about his new job, and invariably, about his boss' son. Karkat has heard many things about this boy. He knows, though Sollux does not, that Sollux is attracted the the boy. Sollux is convinced he is straight.

Karkat and Gamzee exchange looks from the couch, smiling despite the seriousness of the troll's situation.

Sollux glares up from the floor.

"What the fuch ith tho fucking funny? Heth thuch an ath-hole!"

"SORRY, YEAH, HE SOUNDS LIKE AN ASSHOLE." Karkat replied, giving Gamzee another secret look, at which the boy sniggered. Sollux ignored them and continued his litany about the stupid (read: cute) hipster with his stupid (read: cute) fins.

In the basement, Slick was just lighting another cigar, with the talk just turning onto the boys.

Hearts chewed his cigar and asked "How's the little shit been doing?"

Slick blew out some smoke, and weighed his flush against the possible hands of his colleagues, looking for tells.

"Karkat? He's fine. He's probably going to start going out with that Dave kid, the one in his band, soon. I know Dave asked him, but Karkat hasn't told me or said yes yet."

Clubs growled. "Fuck. I had my money on that John kid." He folds.

"Kankri's still a pain in my ass, Gamzee is still obsessed with clowns, and Sollux is still the best hacker I've ever worked with." Slick said, in response to another volley of questions, raising Diamonds a couple thousand. Diamonds grumbled and folded. A few hands later, Slick had won, and his gang dispersed slowly over the course of the next few hours.

Slick went upstairs to check on his boys once Diamonds had left, and found them in a heap on the floor, cuddling in their sleep and covered in blankets. With supernatural care and patience, he slowly moved the troll heap into Karkat's room, one by one, without waking any of them.

Slick then proceeded to recreate the heap, complete with blankets and pillows, with the patience and sure motions of a man who had done this many times. He ruffled their coarse hair and closed the door, shutting the lights off, and went back to the basement to let some sleep.


End file.
